Basic Pizza Dough

Add 3/4 cup (6 oz) hot tap water to the metal mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar, then yeast. Give it a stir by hand with the dough hook and leave it be for a few minutes to hydrate. (The metal bowl will cool the water quickly to just the right temperature.)

Add the flour, salt, and the glug-glug of olive oil. Mix slowly to incorporate dry flour, then put it on medium speed. If it looks sticky, add a tablespoon of the bread flour. If it looks dry and ropy, add a teaspoon or less of water. Let it mix for at least 5-10 minutes. It should be as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Spray a pan with oil, portion dough in half, and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours. (The dough freezes well too, but triple wrap it.) If you’re in a hurry, let it proof on the counter top.

I use a rolling pin to flatten it a bit on a floured surface, then hand-toss it for the kids and the ladies at church. For thick crust dough, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a 9″ cake tin or pie pan, and roll out a circular disc of dough. Make sure the oil covers the bottom of the pan, then leave the dough to proof in the pan.

Makes two pizzas. Doubling the recipe is a bit much for my mixer, but I’ve increased it by half with good results.